Every scent we choose tells a story in three acts. This is the olfactory pyramid—a concept that has organized the art of perfumery for decades and helps us understand why the same bottle smells different in the morning than in the evening.

Top notes are the first impression—light, fleeting molecules that we perceive within the first few minutes after application. Citrus, green accords, fresh spices. They disappear quickly, but they determine the first, often decisive, impression.

Heart notes emerge after the top notes have faded—usually after 10-30 minutes. This is the heart of the composition: flowers, spicy notes, fruits. Heart notes define the character of the scent and last for several hours.

Base notes are the foundation—woody, musky, resinous accords that appear last but stay the longest. They make the scent "sleep" on the skin differently in the evening than it smelled in the morning, and it is often the base that determines whether we will reach for a particular bottle again.

Understanding this structure changes the way we choose perfumes. Instead of judging a scent solely by the first spray, it's worth giving it time—testing it on the skin, waiting an hour, returning to it in the evening. The true character of the composition is only revealed in the base notes.

At VELOURÉ, each composition is designed with this journey in mind—from the first, fleeting impression to the deep, lasting trace that remains on the skin long after application.